Naru and Stitch
by guardsmansparky
Summary: When Experiment 626 escapes from Federation custody, he crash-lands in a certain forest of death, and is found by a certain young blonde...
1. Chapter 1

GALACTIC FEDERATION HEADQUARTERS

The massive Galactic Federation Headquarters senate chambers were filled to capacity by members of every species a part of the vast and diverse Galactic Federation. The hubbub from people of all colors, sizes and shapes died down as a spotlight blazed down on the seat of the Grand Councilwoman as the Grand Councilwoman herself took the stand.

The Grand Councilwoman was a strict and relatively elderly member of the Greys, a tall and thin, grey-skinned species with hoof-like feet and large heads. Dressed in her ceremonial mantle—a pair of tall, swooping shoulder pieces that curved above her head—the Grand Councilwoman's sheer presence spoke of dire consequences to those who did not behave.

Behind the Grand Councilwoman stood Captain Gantu, an extremely large and muscular alien with a gruff, militant personality wearing a black battle shirt and black pants. A male Shaelik, he resembles a bipedal whale with grey skin, sky blue eyes and elephant-like feet, standing 20 feet tall. As Captain of the Galactic Armada, the security of the Galactic Federation fell to him. He stood at attention as the Grand Councilwoman began to speak, her voice projecting across the void of the council chambers without any form of aid.

"Doctor Jumba Jookiba." A spotlight lit up a floating platform that held a single alien in a white labcoat. He was a Kweltiwan of average size for the species, though overweight. Like all Kweltiwans, he is mostly purple-skinned, with dark pink skin on his chest, stomach and under his arms. He has a huge, mostly bald, ovalish head with three black hairs, a wide mouth, a little nose and four yellow eyes. "You stand accused of illegal genetic experimentation." A klaxon sounded as an insectoid barge entered through an airlock on the far end of the chambers, stopping above Dr. Jookiba. "How do you plead?"

Dr. Jookiba responded, speaking with what some would recognize as a Russian accent and surprisingly bad grammar. "Not guilty. My work is only theoretical, completely within legal boundries."

The Grand Councilwoman tilted her chin up at Jumba. "We believe you actually created something."

"Created something, hah!" Dr. Jookiba laughed nervously as the barge began to lower a armored capsule onto a floating platform next to him. "That would be irresponsible, and unethical. I would never, _ever_..." The armor on the capsule was removed to reveal a small creature, leaving Jumba to finish lamely. "…Make more than one."

Standing at 3 foot 6 inches, the creature was a blue koala/dog-like being wearing an orange jumpsuit. It had light blue patches around its eyes, and a light blue patch running from under its chin down to its stomach. Its fur also had two dark blue markings; one on the back of his head, and the other on his back. On its head were large rabbit-like ears with pink insides and dark blue tips on the back, a wide mouth with a pink inside, white teeth, a navy round nose, large black, tear-shaped, pupil-less eyes, and two long dark blue-tipped retractable bug-like antennae on his head. It had two nose wrinkles, one chin wrinkle, and three tuffs of sharp hair on top of its head. It had a tuff of fur on its chest, as well as two extra, retractable arms and two stubby legs with sharp, navy retractable claws on each front and back paw. On its back were three thick, long, sharp, venomous retractable porcupine-like spines tipped with white and a very dark navy that run down his back. Topping off the ensemble was a stubby tail.

As the creature thrashed in its containment vessel, Captain Gantu leaned forward with a sneer. "What is that monstrosity?"

Dr. Jookiba clasped his hands to his head, aghast. "Monstrosity!?" He gestured at the creature, entering what many would call his 'lecture mode.' "What you see before you, is the first of a new species. I call it, Experiment 626. He is bulletproof, fireproof, and can think faster than super-computer. He can see in the dark, and can move objects three-thousand times his size! His only instinct; to destroy _everything he touches!_" Jookiba fell over with an insane laugh as the council chamber erupted in horrified gasps.

The Grand Councilwoman was unamused. "So, it _is_ a monster."

Jumba stopped giggling and sat up. "Eh, just a little one."

Captain Gantu waved a hand at Experiment 626 as he addressed the Councilwoman. "It is an affront to nature, it must be destroyed!"

The wise Grey held up a hand placatingly. "Calm yourself Captain Gantu. Perhaps it can be reasoned with." She turned to the experiment as it poked around the inside of its containment vessel.

"Experiment 626, give us some sign of understanding us. Show us that there is something inside of you that is good."

The experiment turned and looked at the Grand Councilwoman. Standing up straight, it cleared its throat. The entire chamber was tense as every being present leaned forward in anticipation.

"Meega Nala Queesta!"

The entire chamber erupted into gasps and retching, the Grand Councilwoman placing a hand daintily against her breastbone in disgust as the experiment cackled maniacly. "Naughty."

Jumba gestured at his experiment in denial. "I didn't teach him that."

Gantu shook a fist at the scientist. "Place that idiot scientist under arrest!" A forcefield trapped said idiot scientist on his platform.

As the platform descended into the bowels of the chamber, Dr. Jookiba yelled in outrage. "I prefer to be called _Evil Genius!_"

The Grand Councilwomen went on as if the mad scientist hadn't spoken. "And as for that abomination, it is the flawed product of a deranged mind. It has no place among us. Captain Gantu." The Grand Councilwoman turned away, waving dismissively at the rudely gesturing experiment. "Take it away."

Gantu cracked his knuckles, a smug grin on his face. "With pleasure."

* * *

PRISON TRANSPORT DURGEN

A massive prison transport coasted almost languidly towards its destination, a fleet of police cruisers escorting it to a desert asteroid. Aboard the ship, Captain Gantu entered the bridge after seeing to Experiment 626's incarceration for the flight personally. Nursing a bite on his finger, he sat in his command chair. "All ahead full."

Sitting back, Gantu regarded his bit finger before leaning forward and addressing the two bridge officers. "Does this, uh, look infected to you?"

Before either could respond, a flashing light began to blink urgently. The flight lieutenant pulled up a status report. "Gunfire, in the cell bay!"

Gantu leaned forward. "Open a channel."

"What's going on down there? Captain, respond!"

The flight lieutenant spun around as her console flashed a red schematic of the ship. "He's loose on deck C!"

Gantu frowned. "Red alert! Seal off the deck!" Grabbing a microphone off the wall, Gantu called security. "Security! Converge on door seven! Deadly force authorized! Fire on sight!"

A few moments later, one of the reptilian security officers responded. "Security to bridge, He's in the ventilation system!"

Gantu looked up as a skittering was heard in the ceiling above him. Pulling out his sidearm, the captain fired several times into the ceiling before turning back to the radio. "He's heading for the power…!" The bridge suddenly went dark as the ship temporarily lost power. "…grid…"

Gantu frowned as the ship shuddered. "What was that?"

The pilot looked up. "I don't think he's on the ship anymore, sir."

The flight lieutenant checked her console. "Confirmed! He's taken a police cruiser."

As one, everyone looked to their left to see the only pursuit cruiser they had blow past the bridge. The pilot sighed. "Yeah, he took the red one."

The chase was a short one, the red cruiser loosing an engine when it pulled an immelman to head back towards the Durgen through the swarm of pursuing police cruisers. As the bridge crew watched the fleet of blue cruisers surround the single red one, the flight lieutenant suddenly gasped in horror as she stared at her sensor readings. "He's engaged his H-Drive!"

Cursing as he realized the implications, Captain Gantu punched the emergency transmitter. "Pursuit commander, that crazy trog is about to make a jump!" The police cruisers scattered to winds, desperate to get to a safe distance before the red cruiser's hyperdrive engaged.

Barely had the last cruiser made it clear when the red cruiser shot forward past the Durgen's bow, the shockwaves taking out the prison transport's engines and power. With a groan, Captain Gantu flopped back in his chair as the emergency power came on, bathing the bridge in red light. "Get me Galactic Control…"

* * *

The Grand Councilwoman burst through the doors of Galactic Control, anger clearly visible on her face. "Where is he!?"

A technician spun around in his chair. "Still in hyperspace."

"Where will he exit?"

Another technician began typing at her console. "Calculating now. Quadrant 17, Section 005, Area 51. A planet called E-arth."

The Grand Councilwoman glowered at the screen. "I want an expert on this planet in here now." She looked back at the image of the planet, pointing at a blue expanse with a frown. "What is that?"

A new technician responded. "Water, most of the planet is covered with it."

The Councilwoman looked pensive. "He won't survive in water, his molecular density is too great."

Before anyone could begin celebrating, the technician calculating the red cruiser's trajectory spoke up. "Calculations complete. The cruiser is projected to land on one of the main continents in approximately three hours and forty-two minutes."

The Grand Councilwoman sighed and gently massaged her face. "Of course." She put her hand to her side. "We'll have to gas the planet."

"HOLD IT, HOLD EVERYTHING!" A short, blotchy yellow-skinned alien with one eye, and antenna, and three legs scuttled up to the Grand Councilwoman. "Earth is a protected wildlife preserve. Yes, the indigenous peoples, ninken, produce a biological energy called 'chakra' that allows them to bend the elements to their will, ignore gravity, and basically break physics. Nothing like it can be found anywhere else! The scientific and medical possibilities alone are inconceivable. We've been watching the planet for years."

The Grand Councilwoman kneaded her face in an attempt to stave off a headache. "Am I to assume that you are the expert?"

The alien laughed depreciatively. "Expert, I would hope I'm an expert…" The alien cleared his throat and stood up straight at the Councilwoman's unamused gaze. "Agent Pleakley at your service."

"Can we destroy the continent?"

"NO, crazyhead. The ninken there have the most advanced forms of chakra usage we've seen to date." Pleakley handed the Councilwoman a set of slideshow binoculars. "Everyone everywhere else on the planet have to rely on gemstones to access their chakra. The setbacks to our research would be catastrophic! Besides, every time an asteroid hits the planet, they have to start all over."

The Councilwoman handed Pleakley the binoculars. "Can we just land military forces?"

"Well, that would be a BAD idea! The planet is under quarantine. Do you remember the Irkin Empire?"

The Grand Councilwoman sneered. "Ugh, how could I forget those wretched warmongers. It was a godsend when the Armada vanished and the empire collapsed. What of them?"

"Well, the Irkin landed on Earth's lifeless third continent, only to find that there was a _giant chakra monster imprisoned there!_ The Irkin accidentally let it out when they tried to build a base on top of it."

The Grand Councilwoman looked at the projected image of Earth. "I only see two continents."

Pleakley nodded. "Yes, well, you see the moon?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's what happened to the third continent."

The Grand Councilwoman blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

"Well, somehow, a single man fought the monster and took its power. He then turned the continent into a moon, trapping the monster's body and the Irkin Armada inside."

The Grand Councilwoman looked skeptical. "I…see. And what happened to the man."

"As far as we can tell, he turned it into nine smaller chakra monsters before he died."

"You're joking."

"Nope. As many of our anthropologists can attest, the stronger ninken tend to be not all there, if you know what I mean." Pleakley waggled his eyebrow as he nudged the Grand Councilwoman with an elbow. "Since then, the various fractured tribes have formed several countries who keep going to war with each other thanks to mass paranoia."

The Grand Councilwoman pinched her brow with an aggravated sigh. "I'm somewhat tempted to leave Experiment 626 there. A quiet capture requires a level of understanding we don't possess. Who then, Mr. Pleakley, would you send for his extraction?"

Pleakley thought for a moment. "Does he have a brother? A close grandmother, perhaps?"

The Grand Council woman rolled her eyes. As she turned to leave however, a thought occurred to her.

"Get me a line to Dr. Jumba Jookiba's prison cell."


	2. Chapter 2

Konohagakure, the shinobi-run Village Hidden in the Leaves. A tranquil city, one that seemed to be in tune with the nature of the forests that surrounded it. Unfortunately, the tranquility was short-lived in some places.

"And until you decide to stop biting people, stay out!"

A small, seven year old blonde girl with three whisker-like birthmarks on each cheek and the brightest blue eyes you've ever seen stumbled as she was roughly shoved out of the main entrance to the Konoha Shinobi Academy. Dusting herself off as she stood up, the girl, one Naruko 'Naru' Uzumaki, glared at the locked double doors before making her way home, grumbling all the way.

"Damn bastard teacher. Of course I was going to bite the Uchiha bastard if he was putting me in a headlock."

Later that night, Naru sat on the roof of her apartment building, as she was wont to do most summer nights. Staring at the starry sky, Naru wished, as she often did, that she had a family and that she wasn't almost universally hated.

You see, on the night of October 10th, seven years ago when Naru was born, a terrible calamity befell Konoha. With no warning whatsoever, the Kyuubi no Yoko, the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, a literal force of nature, appeared in Konoha and began to put the city to flame. If it wasn't for the sacrifice of the Fourth Hokage, strongest ninja of the Leaf and leader of the city and its military forces, Konoha wouldn't be standing. As it was, the Kyuubi had been sealed away into a newborn child. That child was Naruko Uzumaki.

Yes, Naru was the Jinchuriki, or 'power of human sacrifice,' for the Kyuubi no Yoko. Only thing was, she didn't know it. You see, shortly after the revelation that she held the Fox prisoner, people began to clamor for her execution. To protect her, the elderly Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi (recently brought out of retirement after the demise of his successor) enacted a law with severe penalties outlawing talk of the true fate of the Kyuubi, instead changing the history books to say that the Fourth Hokage, one Minato Namikaze, had killed the Kyuubi with a suicide technique.

The Hokage's law worked, to a point. No one physically attacked Naru. But the law couldn't force people to be nice to her. From the time she was born, Naru was insulted, belittled and sabotaged in everything she did. At age four, she was kicked out of the orphanage, forced to live on the streets for two months before the Hokage found her and gave her an apartment. Parents would remove their children from the area when she went to the playground. Storekeepers over charged her for food and other essentials. Hoping to improve her life and make friends, Naru joined the Ninja academy at age six, only to find that the teachers treated her the same as everyone else, and, following the adult's example, so did the students. The worst part of it all? She didn't even know why everyone seemed to hate her.

While there were a few people who treated Naru like a human being, her grandpa (The Hokage), the old man and his daughter who ran the ramen stand and gave her free ramen, and the crazy snake lady, Naru still wished that she had friends, someone she could talk to about things that people talked to their friends about. Tonight was no different.

Looking up at the night sky, Naru saw a streak of light blaze across the night sky towards that scary forest the crazy snake lady hung out around. Thinking it was a shooting star, Naru screwed her eyes shut and prayed. 'I wish…that I had a friend, one who won't hate me.'

Unbeknownst to Naru as she made her wish with her eyes closed, the streak of light curved down until it came to a stop in the expanse of forest known to the locals as 'The Forest of Death.'

* * *

Experiment 626 burst from the wreckage of the red police cruiser brandishing four blaster pistols wildly at every tree in the forest around him. When nothing came out at him, Experiment 626 put his blasters away and began to look around. Alerted by a sudden crack of breaking wood, 626 pointed his blasters into the underbrush. Barreling through the undergrowth with a battle cry, 626 froze at the sight of a white-furred paw the size of his wrecked cruiser. Looking up mechanically, 626 gulped as he saw the rest of the giant angry Land of Fire tiger attached to the paw. "Cruditay."

* * *

Several nights later, Naru was sitting on the roof, this time hiding from her bastard of a landlord. The jerk had been banging on her door, demanding the rent, even though she had paid for six months in advance.

A rattling sound from down below on the street caught Naru's attention. Curious, Naru peeked over the edge of the roof to see a blue furred creature on a signpost. Looking closely at it, Naru thought that it looked a bit like a blue mutant koala. Her curiosity peaked, Naru clambered down the side of the building utilizing the rudimentary free running skills she had acquired through running over the rooftops to avoid the glares, before walking carefully up to the signpost the creature was clinging to.

"Hi."

Freezing, the creature stopped what it was doing and looked at Naru. Blinking, it waved at Naru with one of its four arms. "H-hi."

Naru saw that the koala/dog was trying to switch around the signs. "Are you pulling a prank?"

The creature looked at her warily. "Can I help?"

A toothy smile was Naru's answer.

* * *

The next morning found Hiruzen Sarutobi, formerly retired Third Hokage of Konohagakure, listening to a report from the animal-masked ANBU unit dispatched to investigate an explosion in training ground 44 (AKA the Forest of Death) the night before.

"All we found sir, was a pile of twisted, burnt metal from some sort of wrecked machine, several scraps of orange cloth, and a corpse of a giant tiger that had its head melted off when whatever it was chewing on exploded. It was of the opinion of the investigative squad that…"

A chunin, or journeyman ninja, suddenly burst into the Hokage's office, wearing only one shoe. "Lord Hokage, Lord Hokage!"

Cocking an eyebrow at the ninja's partial footwear, Hiruzen acknowledged the chunin. "Yes, what's so important as to interrupt an ANBU debriefing?"

"Sir, it's chaos out there. Street signs across the city have been switched around, sewage is backing up into the streets, and nobody can find their left shoe!"

Blinking, Hiruzen and the ANBU looked down to discover that, they too, were missing their left shoes, even though they had just been on five minutes ago. There was only one person who could have pulled such a thing off…somehow.

Sighing, Hiruzen dismissed the ANBU and channeled some chakra into a seal on his paperwork covered desk. "Dog."

A sudden storm of leaves swirled into existence in front of the Hokage's desk, revealing a dog-masked ANBU agent once the leaves settled. "Yes, Lord Hokage?"

As Hiruzen studied the ANBU agent, he noticed that Dog was missing a shoe as well, however, he seemed a bit too frazzled over it. "Are you alright?"

Dog twitched. "Someone replaced all of my porn with yaoi."

Hiruzen winced. "My condolences. Now, where's Naru?"

Dog scuffed at the floor. "We, ah, we don't know, we sorta lost her."

"I see." Hiruzen picked a pipe up off the desk and took a long puff off it. "Please, do find her, I have a feeling this…erm…latest crisis is at least partially her doing."

Bowing, Dog vanished in a swirl of leaves, leaving detritus all over the floor of the office.

Hiruzen sighed. "Why can't anyone use the door anymore?"

* * *

Naru sat on top of the Fourth Hokage's head on the Hokage Memorial overlooking the Village, enjoying the chaos with her new friend. She leaned back on her arms and sighed. "I'm gonna miss this when I become ninja."

The blue koala/dog tilted his head. "Neen-ja?"

"Yup." Looking at her friend, Naru saw his quizzical expression. "You don't know what a ninja is do you?"

He shook his head. "Eh."

"Well, then, I'll tell you." Naru sat cross-legged and twisted so she faced her friend. "Ninja are mercenaries who perform missions for money. We use chakra to fuel techniques to complete our missions. Our missions can range from escort, to assassination, to demolition. Cool huh?"

Her friend jumped up. "I be ninja?"

Naru shook her head. "I don't think you could. You have to join the academy to become a ninja, and I don't think they'll take a…whatever you are."

Her friend's ears drooped. "I know!" The ears perked up. "You could be my partner!"

"Partner?"

Naru nodded. "Yeah! The Inuzuka clan fights alongside dogs. You're way more cooler than any dog! So waddya say, be my partner?"

Her friend nodded. "Ih."

"Yay! Partners!" Naru picked up her, surprisingly heavy, friend and spun around with him. Holding him at arm's length, Naru smiled at him. "You know, I don't even know your name."

Her friend looked uncomfortable.

Naru frowned. "Do you even have a name?"

Her partner shook his head.

"Well then, I'll just have to give you one!" Sitting with her friend in her lap, Naru began to think. "Let's see, what about…no. Maybe…no. I know! Stitch! Your name is Stitch! Waddya think?"

Her friend thought about it. "Stitch like. My name Stitch!"

Naru smiled then looked at the newly named Stitch thoughtfully. "Ya know, without the antenna, spines, and extra arms, people might think you were a dog."

Tapping his chin thoughtfully, Stitch got up from Naru's lap. Standing in front of her, Stitch lifted up his arms. Naru watched with starry eyes as her partner retracted the antenna, spines, and extra arms with ease. "OH, MY, GOSH! That is so cool! You have a stealth mode!"

Overcome with Stitch's cuteness, Naru squeezed the koala/dog in her arms. Stitch squirmed for a bit, only to settle down as he decided that, yes, he did in fact enjoy the feeling of being cuddled.

* * *

Hiruzen was sitting down at his desk, having given up on finding his left shoe, when Dog appeared in a swirl of leaves. "Yes Dog? Have you found her?"

Dog nodded. "Yes sir. She's currently on top of the Hokage Memorial. And she found a friend."

"A friend you say?" Hiruzen was skeptical, but happy nonetheless for the blonde. "What kind of friend?"

"You should see for yourself sir."

Nodding, Hiruzen vanished in a storm of leaves, Dog following suite in his own whirlwind of greenery.

Reappearing on top of the Hokage Memorial, Hiruzen saw his favorite pseudo-granddaughter sitting on the Fourth Hokage's stone head, her own head resting on that of a blue creature sitting in her lap as they watched the chaos unfold below. At the rustle of swirling leaves, Naru turned to see her grandfather figure.

"Hi grandpa!" Naru waved before standing up, Stitch held in her arms facing the Hokage. "This is Stitch! He's going to be my ninja partner!" Stitch waved…and stuck his tongue up his nose.

Hiruzen whispered to Dog as he arrived. "Dog, what is that?"

Dog whispered back, "I think it's a dog, sir."

Hiruzen sighed then turned back to Naru. "I'm happy for you, Naru. Now, how about we take Stitch to see the vet? We need to get him his shots and a check-up before we can register him as your partner.

"Ok. C'mon Stitch!" Laughing happily, Naru ran down the path, Stitch bouncing after her.

* * *

GALACTIC FEDERATION MAXIMUM SECURITY PENITENTIARY

"So let me get straight. You want me to go to planet, and retrieve 626?" Jumba looked skeptically at the Grand Councilwoman and the one named Pleakley standing before him in his cell. "And if I do this, you give me pardon?"

The Grand Councilwoman nodded. "Of course."

Jumba thumped his chest. "This I shall do. But, I will need a few things first, yes?"

"I shall make the arrangements."

The Grand Councilwoman turned to leave, but was stopped when Pleakley tugged on her robes. "Wait, this is a very delicate situation. Who's going to control him?"

The Grand Councilwoman looked down at Pleakley. "You are."

"I am, of course—hey, wait!" Pleakley jolted as the Grand Councilwoman's words registered in his head. "You must be joking?"

Jumba leaned forward from his cot to address the alien left in his cell. "So, tell me yellow one, on what poor, defenseless planet has my monstrosity been unleashed?"

**AN:**

**Ddragon21: Ask, and ye shall recieve.**

**LordGhostStriker: Two words: For Science!**


	3. Chapter 3

The Third Hokage watched as Tsume, the matriarch of the Inuzuka clan, gave Stitch a check-up. The little nuisance had tried to be difficult, right up until Tsume literally snarled at him. At that point, Stitch had jumped to attention with a salute, surprising both Tsume and Hiruzen when they saw the dog standing upright on his hind legs with no problems. Still, that was only the first of many surprises during the veterinary appointment. When it was time to give Stitch his vaccinations, Tsume, who was explaining to Naru what she was doing every step of the way, paused in her explanation of how vaccines worked when her hypodermic needle bent against Stitch's skin. Sharing a look with the Hokage, Tsume coated the needle with chakra, this time getting the desired results.

Upon finishing the examination, leaving Naru holding Stitch in her lap with a lollipop each, Tsume took the results to the Hokage. "Lord Hokage, I can tell you with the utmost certainty that Stitch used to be a dog."

The Hokage frowned. "Used to?"

Tsume pulled out a set of x-rays she had taken at the beginning of the examination. "Take a look."

Hiruzen looked held the x-ray print up to the fluorescent ceiling lights, puzzling at the confusing jumble in the torso region. "What am I looking at, exactly?"

The matriarch rolled her eyes before turning to Naru and Stitch. "Oy, dog, spread 'em."

Blinking, Stitch stood up and lifted his arms. To Hiruzen's shock, an additional pair of arms emerged from the dog's sides, followed shortly by a pair of antennae from his head and three sharp spines on his back. Tsume smirked at the Hokage's befuddlement before launching into an explanation. "As you can see, Stitch has some extra features." Hiruzen looked back at the x-ray, the jumble of images on the see-through film suddenly making some sense.

"Whatever kind of dog Stitch was before, someone went and made him into the perfect shinobi partner. Extra arms, each arm with razor sharp claws. Antenna that most likely give him a sensor ability. Three razor sharp spines on his back that excrete a neurotoxin—I'll let you know the lethality once the lab work comes back—and nigh impenetrable skin. And that's just on the outside.

"Stitch has bones that have been infused with something, won't know what unless we cut him open, and I needed to use lightning chakra to get through the skin for a blood sample. At any rate, his bones look to be nigh unbreakable. He also has incredibly dense and taut muscles that give him unprecedented strength. Coupled with his bone structure, I'd wager that Stitch can lift objects at least a thousand times his size, possibly more. His ligaments are also remarkably flexible, as you can plainly see." Tsume paused in her explanation as Stitch curled up into a perfect sphere and rolled off the examination table. "However, the density of his bones and muscles combined mean that he will sink in deep water like a bulldog.

"Moving on, his eyes have similar properties to a cat's, giving him excellent night vision and a possible intimidation factor. He also has hearing of a factor greater than that of most dogs, and likely has a nose that rivals a bloodhound's." As Tsume continued her explanation of Stitch's abilities, nobody noticed Stitch break the lock off a chemical closet and start mixing the various chemicals stored within. "His jaws can apply more force per square inch than any shark, and he has a pair of glands in his mouth that are capable of excreting a molecular acid. Finally, he has a fully developed chakra network on par with that of a chunin, which in theory should let him use jutsus without needing his partner to perform them for him, the way we Inuzuka have to with our partners. Also, I'd get"

FWOOM!

Tsume stopped to look at her chemical closet, which she wasn't really sure why she kept in the examination room in the first place. She raised an eyebrow as the soot-covered Stitch coughed up a cloud of smoke, a broken chemical beaker in each hand. "And he seems to be fireproof. Anyways, as I was saying, I'd take him to see the Nara's for an intelligence test. He seems far too intelligent for any dog to be."

She paused as she watched Stitch pull a cabinet loose from the wall, only for it to fall off completely and land on top of him. "…Even if he does allow his instincts to control him."

The Hokage watched Naru lift up the fallen cabinet, revealing a twitching Stitch covered in medical supplies underneath. He turned back to Tsume. "Are you saying that his instincts had him reverse street signs, backup the sewage, and steal everyone's left shoe with Naru?"

Tsume shrugged. "Possibly. At any rate, Stitch is in perfect health, but we'll know for sure once we finish the bloodwork. We'll also know if the changes made to Stitch extend to his genetic code when it gets back from the lab."

Hiruzen nodded. "Thank you Tsume. I'd better go get the paperwork started. Come along Naru, it's time to go get Stitch registered as your partner." Dragging Stitch along behind her with a quick 'bye' to Tsume, Naru followed after the elderly Hokage. Tsume watched the little blonde and her blue buddy leave with a soft smirk.

"So, what do you think Kuromaru?"

Kuromaru, a large wolfhound missing an eye and half an ear—and Tsume's longtime partner, stood up from where he was lying off to the side. Trotting over to his partner's side, he looked up. "He smells like dog, but…more, like he's several apex predators rolled up in one small package. He's dangerous, yet…there's potential for compassion there. He seems to like the girl enough for that to be possible." Tsume nodded. "There's more though."

Tsume looked down at her partner. "Oh?"

"He smells familiar somehow, almost…like kin."

Tsume looked at the vial of blood held in her hand.

"Interesting."

* * *

HYPERSPACE—EN ROUTE TO AREA 51

The cockpit of the private spaceliner was silent as the vehicle sped through hyperspace. Agent Pleakley sat reading in first class as Dr. Jookiba piloted the machine in silence.

"You know, is interesting. When I am making Experiment 626, I am making him with the DNA of the galaxy's six most deadliest predators. However, each time I put DNA together, it rejects self soon after creation, and turns to mush, because body not having enough energy to hold together. I considered using fusion chamber to charge DNA, but would use massive power, and likely bring authorities to lab. Then, I find science report on intranet about planet where all living things have own internal energy source.

"It was then I know that I find solution to problem. I go to planet, and find many animals with internal energy, but none with enough for purposing. Then, I find canine species bred and raised by—what did they call them, ah, yes—ninja, with perfect amount of energy. But, I am not being the best of fighters, and I am seeing what ninja and dog are capable of. So, I wait. Then, I have big stroke of luck, yes? Giant monster with many tails attacks city. I am not knowing what happened, but many is being left dead by attack. I take chances, and with much luck am finding dead male and female. I extract genetic material—respectfully of course, I am not monster—and use as base to create Experiment 626.

"So, I suppose, in roundabout way, 626 has gone home. Much of the irony, yes?"

Pleakley looked up from his magazine. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

Jumba scowled as the ship left hyperspace. "Never of the minding, we are here."

The ship entered orbit over the Land of Fire.

"So, 626 land in Land of Fire, yes?"

"Yes."

"Where in Land of Fire, exactly?"

"Umm…"

"Oy, this is bringing much of the inconveniencing."

* * *

Naru sat at her seat, Stitch in her lap doodling with some crayons. She couldn't wait for the taijutsu spars today. With Stitch helping her, she'd finally be able to beat that bastard Sasuke in a straight fight. She could see his shocked face as Stitch went into battle mode already.

Soon, the classroom filled up as the rest of the ninja trainees arrived. Naru was ignored mostly, however, she could still hear the other children whispering.

"Ugh, what is that thing in its lap?"

"It looks like someone took a collie and dropped a tree on it."

"She can't be a ninja, so she's trying to imitate the Inuzukas. Pathetic."

"Yeah, as if that thing can compare to any proper dog."

Naru hugged Stitch tightly as she tried to ignore the whispers. Stitch glared at the class through slit eyes. Ever since he had been created, he destroyed and caused chaos. It wasn't something concious. Like a war veteran violently lashing out when woken up by someone shaking their shoulder, Stitch had no control over his destructive tendencies. And then, he met her.

When Stitch first laid eyes on the blonde that night, it was as if a fog he hadn't even known was present had lifted from his mind, allowing him to see the world clearly for the first time. For the first time in his short life, he could think, actually think, and not just react to stimuli and instinct. Whenever he was with her, he felt calm, content. Sure, the old impulses were still there, and he acted on them, but it was as a curious child or a prankster would, not a mindless monster.

Stitch owed everything to Naru. If it wasn't for her, he'd still be a living calamity operating on instinct alone, without any higher thought processes active. Sure, he might have activated said processes eventually, but who knew how much damage he would have caused. As such, when the girl offered to partner with him, Stitch jumped at the opportunity. It was the least he could do.

As he saw how the villagers and Naru's classmates regarded her, Stitch knew that he had made the right decision. The girl was alone, with the few people who truly cared for her unable to be there for her every time she needed help. As the class went on, Stitch's temper grew worse as he saw how the teacher treated Naru. When she was kicked out of the classroom for something she could not have possibly done (stealing someone's homework from the other side of the room while she was looking out the window), Stitch knew that something was wrong with the way people treated his partner. By the end of the day, Stitch had come to an inescapable conclusion. The teachers, people who were supposed to ensure that Naru had the best chance of survival, were actively sabotaging her growth as a person and as a ninja, something that Stitch needed to find reason for. And there was only one place that he knew of that would have the information he sought.

That night, when Naru fell asleep, Stitch snuck into the Hokage tower and broke into the secure records room. Quickly finding Naru's file (learning any written language was simple for one whose brain was faster than any super-computer) Stitch began to read.

Upon reading of the tailed beast attack, Stitch realized that there was no easy fix to Naru's situation. As he put the file back and snuck back to Naru's apartment, some of the old instincts kicked in, but this time, instead of destruction, they brought determination. Curling up next to his partner, Stitch began to plan ways to help his best and only friend succeed as he drifted off to sleep.

As he slept, a mischievous smile crept onto Stitch's face as he dreamt of ways to prank those who would hurt his friend into humiliating submission.

**AN:**

**Nightmaster2000: Sorry, one time thing.**

**Shadowmaster0304: Stitch is not well behaved. He did steal everyone's left shoe, after all.**

**For those who are saying Stitch is OOC, well, not really, I decided that, as a creature with a super-computer brain, something was most likely causing Stitch to be a somewhat mindless walking weapon of mass destruction instead of a mischievous prankster, such as mental conditioning or brainwashing that occurred when he was being created. I also decided that for this story, the reason Naru can easily win people over is that her stupid-high amount of chakra coupled with poor control allows her chakra to drift around her, and that her chakra has a soothing feeling to it that makes people exposed long enough want to like her, or at least treat her neutrally. However, since most people in konoha see her as the fox reborn (or ar told to avoid her in the case of the children), no one comes close enough to her long enough to be affected. So, when Naru hugged Stitch, it caused the brainwashing to begin breaking down.**

**If you don't like the explanation, well, there's nothing that says you have to read my stories, now is there?**


	4. Chapter 4

A harsh banging woke Stitch up as the sun rose over Konoha. Sitting up, Stitch went to answer the door before whoever it was woke a still sleeping Naru up. He opened the door, revealing Naru's landlord.

"Where's my money? Where's the rent…?" The landlord looked down. "The hell are you?"

Stitch glared at the landlord. He knew for a fact that Naru had paid the rent six months in advance, she had told him herself during one of her rants. The landlord sneered at the blue experiment, before moving to step over him. "Where's the little bitch? I'll have what belongs to me, or so help me, I'll—!"

The landlord fell to the ground with a heavy thud as something tripped him. Rolling over, a curse died on his lips as he beheld a glowering Stitch cracking all four sets of knuckles.

* * *

Hiruzen finished reading the ANBU report before looking up at the ANBU agent standing at attention before him. "So, you found the landlord literally tied up like a pretzel, and he donated the deed to the apartment building to Naru when he was taken to the hospital?"

"Yessir. He said something about a 'little monster' and quitting while he was ahead. Said he was looking forward to his retirement outside of the village."

Hiruzen looked down at the report with a small smirk. "I see. Please let Mr. Yanushi know that he will be sorely missed, won't you?"

"Of course sir."

* * *

Kibishiu Kyoushi was sweating profusely as he graded papers while his class worked. A chunin academy instructor from a long line of academy instructors, he had lost his elderly mother during the Kyuubi attack. When he had gotten the fox brat as one of his students, he hadn't protested. He saw it as an opportunity to get revenge, however petty, before she got too strong for it.

He didn't sabotage her learning, unlike some of the teachers, as he had his pride as a moulder of young minds. Instead, he graded her very harshly and gave her the maximum allowed punishments for behavior infractions, often having to kick her out of the class for fighting outside of taijutsu practice. As such, Kyoushi got away with his revenge, unlike many of the idiots who used to work with him, because everything he did was within his rights as a teacher. No one could stop him either, as that would cause them to be let go instead for overstepping their boundaries.

And then, the fox brat brought in that…that thing! Sure it looked like a dog, but there was no way it was actually a dog. Kyoushi knew that the first time he looked into its eyes. They were far too intelligent for any animal.

Kyoushi looked up from his grading to see the blue thing staring at him disconcertingly. He turned back to his papers in a sweat. Ever since that thing came in, Kyoushi had an ever present feeling that he was being watched, even outside of the classroom. Of course, at first, Kyoushi had dismissed the feeling. Who would be watching him?

Finally, the bell rang, allowing the students to filter out of the room and go home. Kyoushi breathed a sigh of relief as that thing was carried out of the room in the fox brat's arms. Once the classroom was empty, Kyoushi opened a drawer and pulled out a cork-stoppered bottle. Pulling out the cork, Kyoushi took a swig from the bottle.

Suddenly, Kyoushi's eyes widened comically and began to water. 'This…is…HOTSAUCE!" Mouth on fire, Kyoushi ran screaming from the room. Minutes later, head dripping from dunking it in a toilet in search of relief, Kyoushi went to throw away the bottle, only for the smell of alcohol to waif to his nose.

Cautiously, Kyoushi took a sip, discovering that the bottle was full of his favorite sake. Staring at the bottle in befuddlement, Kyoushi tried to figure it out. Maybe he had been imagining things. Shaking his head, Kyoushi locked the bottle away, and left to go home.

When he finally got home, Kyoushi opened the door and went inside. Tossing his chunin vest on a chair, he went into the kitchen, and got a beer from the fridge to the right of the door. As he took a swig of beer, Kyoushi paused, contemplating the refrigerator.

Hadn't it been to the left of the door this morning?

* * *

The citizens of Tanzaku Gai ignored the large, dark-skinned man and his rather ugly female companion. The male glanced away from the scanning device in his hands to his ugly companion. "You know, disguise is completely unnecessary."

"What do you mean it's unnecessary? Jumba, we look nothing like the ninken!"

Jumba rolled his eyes. "First off, yellow one, they're called ningen, the ninken are canines. Second off, disguise unnecessary because of offshoot of ningen called Kekkai Genkai holders."

"Kekkai Gen—what?"

Jumba covered his face with his palm. "Oy. Bloodline ningen are ningen with a genetic ability beyond that of other ningen."

Pleakley scoffed. "And how would you know that, hm?"

Jumba turned back to his scanner. "When I was waiting for opportunity to acquire genetic material for 626, I came across several dead ningen after very big fight. Interestingly, corpse of one had multiple arms. So, I took sample."

"You what!?"

"Hey, what can I say, I was bored."

Pleakley shook his head. "No, you've been here before?"

Jumba nodded. "Yes, you be knowing this if you be listening to me on ship. Now, where was I? Oh, yes. So, I take blood sample to experiment on while waiting, and find that there are many similarities between this ningen and a multamembra from Truncatis. My scientific curiousity peaked, I do research. Soon, I find that prison transport disappeared in sector many hundred years ago with many prisoners, including a multamembra. I soon discover that ship crash-land in elemental nations, coming to conclusion that survivors went on to interbreed with local ningen.

"Unfortunately, I am unable to verify hypothesis before I am leaving."

Pleakley looked at Jumba skeptically. "And why didn't the Galactic Federation come find the ship, hm?"

"Heh? Oh, is because Irkin Empire be collapsing, causing vacuum of power and much chaos." Before Pleakley could say anything, the scanner beeped, an indicator arrow pointing south. Jumba smirked. "Ah, scanner is detecting 626's energy signature. Come! We is going sout—oof!"

Jumba grunted as he shook a fist at the blonde woman who had knocked him over. "Old hag! Watch where you be swinging oversized mammary glands!"

Pleakley froze as the blonde woman slowly turned around, an aura of death surrounding her. Jumba remained unaware of the danger as he continued ranting and cursing at the woman. "You are overgrown domesticated bovine who is also blind, and—"

A sudden punch sent Jumba flying north out of Tanzaku Gai, taking an unfortunate Pleakley along for the ride as he crashed into him.

A dark-haired teen holding a pearl-wearing pig walked up to the blonde woman. "Master Tsunade, was that really necessary?"

Tsunade straightened up, dusting off her knuckles as she did so. "No Shizune, it wasn't, but it made me feel better." She walked on. "C'mon, we're going to the Yossukanku. I need some sake."

* * *

Jumba groaned as he sat up, pulling a crushed Pleakley out from under him. "Pleakley, please be reminding me not to yell at yellow furred ningen…"

The small crater shook as Jumba fell over on his back.

* * *

Kyoushi was a nervous wreck. Every time he went home from teaching, his house would be rearranged. Unfortunately, every time he went to the police, his house would be back in order, leading the police to suggest that maybe he was working too hard. Perhaps he was. Maybe it was time to take a vacation. Yes, yes, a sabbatical was just what he needed. And he knew just the person to fill in for him.

* * *

Naru frowned as Stitch sat in her lap and doodled. Kyoushi-sensei was not here, which was unusual as the man was usually there a half-hour before everyone else. Instead, a black-haired man with a scar across the bridge of his nose stood at the teacher's desk. The man tried to get the class's attention.

"Class."

"Class."

"_Class._"

The new teacher flipped through a few handseals before his head grew to comical proportions. "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" He cleared his throat in the suddenly silent and still room. "Greetings, my name is Iruka Umino. Sensei Kibishiu Kyoushi has decided to take a sabbatical for his own mental health. So, I shall be your teacher until he decides to return. Any questions?"

The classroom burst into noise as students began rapid-firing questions left and right. In Naru's lap, Stitch smirked as he doodled, the drawings beginning to take on meaning to those who knew what to look for.

* * *

"Alright class, we're going to be doing things a little differently, so everyone head out to the yard for taijutsu. Make sure to bring your shinobi tools for this."

* * *

"Naru Uzumaki and Ami Kogure, you're up."

Iruka looked up from his clipboard and frowned in confusion. Naru and her purple-haired opponent were already in the ring, but the blue dog he had seen in the blonde's lap earlier was still under the tree they had been resting by. "Naru, why aren't you using your partner?"

Naru blinked. "What, Stitch? He can come too?"

"Of course." Iruka nodded and went into a mini-lecture. "Nin-parters such as the Inuzuka's ninken are counted as shinobi tools for the sake of sparring sessions because ninja with partners often have their fighting styles revolve around working with their partner."

"Really? Because Kyoushi-sensei never let me use Stitch."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Oh, did he ever say why?"

Naru nodded. "He said I should learn to fight on my own first."

The scarred teacher nodded thoughtfully. "While that is true to an extent, you still need to know how to fight with him regardless. As such, I will only be allowing you and Kiba," Iruka gestured to a male Inuzuka with a small white puppy on his head. "To use your partners every other day."

Naru smiled and called Stitch over as Ami started to complain about the unfair advantage over her. Stitch scuttled over with a smirk on his face as Iruka put the assymetrical-haired girl in her place. Perhaps he wouldn't have to make this one question his sanity after all.

Iruka raised a hand as the three combatants stood facing each other, Stitch crouching on all fours in front of Naru. While he would prefer to be in what Naru called his 'battle mode,' the Hokage had requested (when he came into his office sipping coffee when Stitch was prepping a water-balloon booby-trap) that he keep it secret until Naru graduated the academy (so as not to risk having the civilian council trying to take him away to be studied).

The raised hand lowered. "Hajime!"

Naru began the fight by immediately going into a handstand, each hand on either side of Stitch, who curled up into a perfect ball. Coiling her muscles like a striking cobra, Naru grabbed Stitch as her body went vertical. Pushing off from the ground, Naru leapt back up into an upright position, throwing Stitch like a projectile even as she performed a perfect front handspring.

Ami, a bully who was used to her victims—pardon—opponents being held down while she beat them up, shrieked in surprise as Stitch uncurled not a foot from her face and latched on like a barnacle on a ship's hull. Screaming bloody murder, Ami ran around the sparring ring, arms flailing as she tried and failed to dislodge the blue-furred menace. It was but a simple thing for Naru to trip Ami, sending the girl flying out of the ring. Stitch finally let go of the…poor girl's face, just in time for her to see the ground flying at her.

As Stitch rolled back to Naru away from the unconscious Ami, Iruka raised his right hand even as his eyes went to his clipboard. "Winner, Naru Uzumaki. Meinu, Imi, would you mind taking Ami to the nurse? Thank you. Next match…"

Naru picked up Stitch as she left the ring, paying no attention to the fight beginning behind her. "That was so cool! We gotta come up with a name for that!"

Stitch nodded. "Ih!"

**AN:**

**Daemon-Prince-7: Well, I couldn't have Pleakley be totally competent, now could I?**

**Draph91, Wnin2012: No, there is no relation between Stitch and Naru at all.**

**Princessbinas: Stitch would win, obviously. Watch the truck sequences, and you'll know why.**


	5. Chapter 5

The year since Naru had found Stitch was the best she had ever had. She had been surprised when Stitch jumped on her shoulders and blindfolded her, but now she could only follow and giggle as Stitch led her blindly around their (and boy hadn't she been surprised when Dog had given her the deed to the building) apartments. Finally, Stitch stopped and pulled Naru's blindfold off. Naru blinked at the door in front of her.

"Stitch, this isn't our room."

Stitch shook his head. Crawling up the door, he opened it and pushed Naru in. For a moment, all was quiet, then with a happy squeal, Naru came back through the door and snatched up Stitch. Holding her beloved partner in a squeezing cuddle, Naru happily cried into his fur. "Oh, Stitch, no one has ever done anything so nice for me." She sniffled as she held Stitch at arm's length. "Did you do this all by yourself?"

Stitch nodded. "Ih."

Naru buried her face back in Stitch's fur. "Thank you."

Holding Stitch tightly, Naru went to explore her new apartment. The kitchen was fully furnished, and the living room had a massive couch and equally massive television on the wall. The bedroom was half the size of her old apartment, with a king-sized bed and a walk-in closet the size of her old cramped bedroom. The bathroom was just as large, with a walk-in glass-walled shower and a hot tub. Going back into the bedroom, Naru saw a framed picture of a red-haired woman with violet eyes.

"Naru's mama."

Naru looked down at Stitch. "Stitch wanted something for Naru, something from her family, so Stitch ask Old Man. Old Man give picture to Stitch, tell Stitch to tell Naru, that Naru can ask him about mama anytime."

Naru hugged Stitch tightly with a happy sniffle and gestured around the room. "How did you do all this?"

Stitch gave a knowing smile as he thought about all the 'Idiot's Guide' handbooks he read. "Is secret."

Snorting in amusement, Naru noticed a door she hadn't been through yet. She put Stitch down on the bed and went over to the door. "What's in here?"

Stitch jumped off the bed and opened the door. Inside was a small, white painted room with a Stitch sized workbench against one wall. On the wall above the bench, all of Stitch's crayon doodles were taped. If Naru looked closely, she could almost see a pattern begin to emerge.

"Is Stitch's room for secrets. Shh!"

Naru giggled. "What kind of secrets?"

A big grin split Stitch's face in half. "Is surprise!"

Naru giggled again. "Okay."

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the finals of the 55th bi-annual International Chunin exams held in the beautiful Hidden Leaf Village!"

The stadium shook as the audience roared in approval. Naru sat in a private box reserved for clan heads and heirs, Stitch standing on her lap to see over the railing. Being the last living member of the ruling branch of the Uzumaki clan, Naru was entitled to a private box as clan heiress.

When her grandpa had told her about her mother, Kushina, and the status that she inherited, Naru was ecstatic. For years, she had wanted to go to see the chunin exams, ever since one had been held in the village when she was seven. It was right before she met Stitch, in fact. However, civilians weren't allowed to attend the tournament-style exam finals unless they were of age. As a clan heir, Naru was able to attend the finals, provided she was accompanied by an of age family member or was at least ten years old herself. Seeing as her birthday had been five months earlier, Naru was finally able to watch the finals.

Naru scowled at the groaning outside the door to her box. When she had arrived at the stadium, Naru had entered through the doors reserved for clan heads and their heirs. A chunin guard had taken exception to that, and had caught up to her at her box door. As he moved to drag the girl out, the chunin suddenly found himself kissing the floor, then just as suddenly staring at the ceiling. After repeating the process several times before letting go of the chunin's ankle, Stitch left the chunin on the ground as he went to join Naru inside the box.

As Naru sat watching the announcer announce the exam's sponsors and psyching up the crowd, a cloud of leaves swirled apart to reveal an ANBU agent sitting next to her. Looking over, the blonde saw it was Dog.

"Lord Hokage sent me to keep you company and to make sure you get home safely after the exams."

Naru nodded, turning her attention back to the announcer. Stitch never even moved, his attention fully on the arena floor. As they watched, a brunette teen with green fang facial tattoos and wearing a fur-lined leather coat strode out accompanied by a horse-sized, pitch black mix-breed dog. The teen sneered at his opponent, a greasy, flaxen-haired kunoichi his age in a blue catsuit. She sneered back, a horse-slayer sword as long as she was tall held over her shoulder the way one would hold a shovel.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen! Tonight's first match; Kenshi Inuzuka and Kuraimaru of Konoha vs. Shi Girochin of Kiri."

The match between the Kiri kunoichi and Konoha shinobi was long and fierce. Kenshi was forced to keep his distance, constantly jumping in and out of his opponent's reach as he tried not to be bisected by a blade that was bigger than he was. At the same time, Shi was forced to keep moving as well to avoid Kuraimaru's spinning corkscrew attacks from connecting and tearing her to ribbons. Finally, Kenshi and Kuraimaru used a jutsu that turned the two into one massive, two headed wolf. The match was won when the duo grabbed one of Shi's arms in their mouths, forcing the Kiri kunoichi to surrender, lest she be torn in two.

As the smoke from Kenshi and Kuraimaru's technique releasing disappated, Naru and Stitch looked at each other. They shared a single thought; 'we have got to figure out how to do that!'

* * *

Jumba dusted off his hands as he landed the spaceliner in a clearing. He opened the door and lowered the ramp as he breathed in the air of the forest. "Ahh, am forgetting what air here taste like. Is like nothing other." The kweltiwan strode down the ramp, speaking out loud as he read his scanner. "626 is close, very close." Turned around and spoke to Pleakley as he left the ship. "See, I am telling you checking biggest city is good idea, but you wouldn't listen…"

Jumba paused as he saw Pleakley freeze with an indecipherable expression on his face. "What, is something behind me?" Jumba turned around, eyes crossing as he beheld the tip of a rather sharp sword held not one inch from his face. As he slowly raised his hands in surrender, Jumba could swear that he was getting cut just by looking at it. He looked at the feline-masked ningen holding the sword and gave a nervous gulp. "Be taking me to your leader?"

* * *

Naru and Stitch cheered as Kenshi and Kuroimaru were declared the winners. As she turned to ask Dog if he could take them home, she noticed her grandpa leave his box, a hard and scary look on his face.

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi was every inch the man who was once called the 'God of Shinobi' as he listened to the report of Ibiki Morino, his heavily scarred top interrogator and head of the Torture and Interrogation Department. The two were looking at one Dr. Jumba Jookiba through a one-way mirror as the alien twiddled his thumbs. "You say he and his partner arrived in a massive metal flying vessel?"

"Yes sir. We've done some tests on the metal, and it's the same type we found in that crater three years ago. The short, ugly one has been uncooperative, screaming on and on about wanting a lawyer and violating a prime directive, whatever that means. Won't even acknowledge Anko when she goes in, and you know how she is. This guy, on the other hand, was somewhat more cooperative with us. He only gave us his name, Dr. Jumba Jookiba, but said that he would only say anything else to you."

Hiruzen nodded. "Very well, let us go see what he wants." Knowing that the Hokage was still more than capable of protecting himself, Ibiki unlocked the door.

Jumba looked up as an elderly ningen entered his interrogation cell and sat at the table across from him. "You are being the leader, yes? I am Dr. Jumba Jookiba, evil genius and inventor."

"I am Hiruzen Sarutobi, third Hokage of The Hidden Leaf Village of Konohagakure."

Jumba nodded. "I said I would only answer you, so, ask away."

Hiruzen leaned forward. "Who do you work for?"

"Ha, straight to point, I like!" Jumba laughed before getting serious. "I am parolee under employ of Galactic Federation to retrieve fugitive from law."

The Hokage frowned. "Where exactly is this Galactic Federation?" Jumba pointed up, causing Hiruzen's eyebrows to rise dramatically. "You are saying you're from outer space." He leaned back. "Well, I would be disinclined to believe you if it wasn't for the fact that we have your ship. But if you are from space, and we aren't alone in the universe, why haven't we seen evidence of this before?"

Jumba smirked. "Your planet is being quarantined."

"Quarantined? Why?"

"Well, that what happens when you have giant energy monsters roaming the land, yes?"

Hiruzen frowned. "I see. Going back a bit, you said something about a fugitive."

"Yes, Experiment 626, my greatest creation. I am creating him from DNA of galaxy's six deadliest predators. He is greatest weapon of mass destruction who destroys everything he touches."

Hiruzen's frown deepened. "What does he look like?"

Jumba held his hand three feet off the ground. "He is being three foot four, with blue fur, big ears, antennae, three spines and four arms."

Both the Hokage and Ibiki blinked, though Jumba could only see the older man. "While that does explain some things, are you sure we're thinking of the same thing? The worst that Stitch has done is reverse street signs, back up sewage, and steal everyone's left shoe."

"Stitch?"

Hiruzen silently cursed himself for giving that tidbit away. "Upon coming to Earth, your Experiment 626 was found and adopted by one of my soldiers in training, who is herself an unrepentant prankster. I am afraid that I cannot allow you take him anywhere."

"I see." A thoughtful expression crossed the alien's face before being replaced by a sly smile as inspiration struck him. "Well, seeing as I cannot return without 626 and not be going to jail, perhaps you are in need of a scientist, yes?"

An equally sly smile crossed Hiruzen's face. "Perhaps. What did you have in mind?"

* * *

Stitch and Naru were trying to come up with their own collaboration techniques after watching the Inuzukas in the Chunin finals tournament. So far, they hadn't been able to come up with anything. There musings were interrupted by a knocking on their apartment door. Stitch jumped up.

"Stitch get it!"

Stitch scuttled over to the door and opened it, freezing as he saw the being that could arguably be called his father standing next to a nervous, yellow, one-eyed alien no taller than Naru. Dr. Jumba Jookiba threw his arms wide open.

"626! Greetings! We are being your new neighbors!"

Stitch twitched, his supercomputer brain crashing as he tried to comprehend what he was seeing. Wasn't Jookiba supposed to be in jail? And, he was being far too nice. The experiment had expected to have the doctor shooting at him in an attempt to capture him if he ever saw the Kweltiwan again.

Naru popped her head around the doorframe. "Hi! I'm Naru."

Jumba smiled widely. "Hello. I am being Dr. Jumba Jookiba, new head of Konoha Department of Research and Development, and this is my new assistant, Pleakley."

The one-eyed alien waved. "Hello!"

Stitch gave up trying to figure it out and went to go take a nap.

* * *

**AN:**

**Suntan140: maybe.**

**Nightmaster000: Perhaps, and no.**

**LordGhostStriker: Depends on if I get tired of writing for Stitch's bad grammer.**


	6. Chapter 6

A year later found Jumba sitting in the communal lounge, hunched over a sealed jar, when Naru staggered in and flopped face-down on a couch, Stitch giving a sympathetic pat on the arm, before disappearing into his 'secret surprise room.' Jumba put his notes down and regarded Naru. "Is something being the matter?"

An indecipherable mumbling was heard through the couch pillows. Jumba nodded sagely. "Ah, yes, is Tuesday. So, you are having problems fighting without 626 then, yes?"

"Mm-hm."

"So, what is being issue?"

"Mm-mm-mhg-hm-hmmm-gm. Hm-mgm-mmgh."

"Maybe I can be helping. I may not be fighter, but I am genius with degree in biomechanics, maybe I can tell you what you are doing wrong, hmm?"

Naru flopped off the couch and grumbled half-heartedly as she began to perform the movements for the Academy tijutsu style taught to all academy students. Jumba rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he observed Naru, taking detailed notes as he did so. Once she finished, Jumba finished his notes and nodded. "Yes, I am seeing the problem. Academy taijutsu style is rigid, designed defensively to maximize survival until genin teacher can teach a style more fitting for student I imagine. However, doing wrong! Feet are too close together, messing with balance and stability. Strikes are weak, not using entire body. Too many openings present in guard, allows for attack without retaliation."

Naru scowled. "Hey, I'm doing it exactly as Mizuki-sensei taught me!"

Jumba's eyes narrowed. "Who is this 'Mizuki?'"

"Oh, he's Iruka-sensei's new assistant."

"Then Mizuki is either incompetent or saboteur. Anyway, Academy style is not fitting your body. Is meant for children to know how to fight adults, stay alive until older ninja can assist, and is rigid and stationary. You are very agile, lithe and flexible, perfect for gymnastic style. Combining with 626's invulnerability and intelligence, and you could be unstoppable on battlefield!"

Naru huffed. "Well, that's great, but who will teach me such a style?"

"Not teach." Jumba smirked as he took inspiration from a leaf floating by the window. "Create."

* * *

Naru was practicing and further developing her new fighting style when Stitch came bounding into her room. "Naru, Stitch done with secret!"

"Really?" Stitch took Naru by the hand, dragging her into his 'secret surprise room.' Stopping in front of his workbench, Stitch tossed the canvas covering it into the air. Naru stared in wonder at what lay on the desk.

"Cool…what's it do?"

A mischievous grin swept over Stitch's face.

* * *

It was a warm spring morning in Konoha as a thirteen-year old Naru jumped from rooftop to roof top. In the years since meeting Stitch, Naru had changed her look. Gone were the simple t-shirt and shorts. Now, Naru wore black tights under a white skirt, a navy blue shirt and a burnt orange wind-breaker she kept opened and hood down, showing off her shoulder length hair. Perching on a lamppost, Naru cupped her hands around her mouth. "Stitch!"

Sighing in exasperation, Naru began looking for her partner again. 'Seriously, where is that little stinker?'

A throat clearing behind her made Naru turn around, to find sensei Iruka holding Stitch up by the scruff of his neck. "Looking for this?"

"Stitch!" Naru grabbed Stitch and began to squeeze the life out of him. "Where have you been? We're late for class!"

Iruka crossed his arms as he tapped his foot. "He's been giving ANBU and internal security squads a workout after what he did to the Hokage Monument."

Naru saw the rudely painted and graffitied mountain. She held Stitch at arm's length and began to scold him. "Stitch! Why'd you do such a thing!? You know we were going to do that this afternoon!"

It was all Iruka could do not to facepalm.

* * *

Naru grumbled as Iruka watched her and Stitch wash the graffiti off the Hokage Monument. "Why am I doing this again? Stitch did it?"

Iruka sighed as he shook his head. "Because Stitch is your partner and you were planning on helping him vandalize the monument."

Shifting on her rope perch, Naru scowled as she scrubbed at a hard to reach spot. "Well, it's not like there's anyone to go home to. Stitch is here, Jumba's off doing science, and Pleakley…actually; I have no idea what Pleakley does with his time."

A saddened expression crossed Iruka's face. "Hey, Naru, do you want to go get some ramen when you're done?"

Naru beamed as she worked harder. "Oh boy! STITCH! WE'RE GETTING RAMEN WHEN WE FINISH!"

"RAMEN!" Iruka watched in bemusement as the blue ball of fur sped up, arms a blur as the sponges in each hand began to smoke against the rock face of the monument.

* * *

"Bye Old Man, Ayame! Thanks for the ramen!" "Bye!"

Iruka sat with his face planted against the countertop of the ramen stand. Teuchi Ichiraku, the elderly owner and chef of the Ichiraku Ramen stand, chuckled and shook his head as he watched his two favorite customers leave. His daughter, Ayame, began to clear away the stacks of empty bowls, her face hidden by her long brown hair as she tried not to laugh at Mr. Umino's misfortune.

"The bill."

Iruka looked up, and promptly plopped his head back on the counter when he saw the damages to his slaughtered budget. Ignoring the giggling waitress, Iruka reached for his wallet, still face-down on the counter. 'That's the last time I let those two bottomless pits eat all they want.'

The academy teacher got up and leaned out of the stand. "Remember, the graduation exam is tomorrow!" Sighing in resignation, Iruka turned to pay the bill, and he most certainly did not whimper.

* * *

"Alright class, today's the graduation exam. Everyone clear off your desks and prepare for the written exam." The class was filled with the shuffling of students and paper as Iruka and his assistant Mizuki Uragiri passed out exams.

As the classroom filled with the scratching of pencil on paper, Naru could only sit and stare at her exam sheet. 'What the hell? I-I don't know any of this. Did I miss a lecture or…?'

Stitch, looking between Naru's exam and the exam of a student next to her, snatched up Naru's exam and jumped off the desk. Toddling over to Iruka, Stitch tugged on his pant leg.

"Hm?" Iruka looked down and accepted the exam from the dog. He looked at the contents before taking a new exam to Naru. "I'm sorry Naru, it appears you were given an exam for chunin hopefuls by mistake. Here you go."

Naru thanked the sensei, giving Stitch a quick hug and a kiss on the head before diving into her much easier genin exam. Stitch smiled as he pulled out a kunai from…somewhere and sat under the desk. Holding the kunai in a reverse grip, he began to bring the knife down between his fingers, slowly getting faster and faster until both arm and kunai were but a blur.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, the written exam was over. Collecting all of the tests, Iruka sent the class to the taijutsu rings with Mizuki as he brought the papers to the proctors' office.

Soon, Iruka came to the yard and began the taijutsu portion of the test. Two by two, each student was paired with another student of equal skill, each one judged either by Iruka or Mizuki during their fight. Finally, it was Naru's turn.

"Naruko Uzumaki and Stitch versus Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru."

Naru stared at the boy standing across from her. The heir of the Inuzuka clan (as his older sister Hana had abdicated in favor of being a veterinarian), Kiba had wild brown hair and brown, slit-pupiled eyes. Two red fang tattoos adorned either cheek, marking him as an Inuzuka first pack member, as well as the white-fur-trimmed grey jacket.

Naru really didn't like Kiba. He was constantly trying to assert his dominance over the girls in the class—especially Naru—in an attempt to show that he was the alpha male.

"You're going to go on a date with me when I win!"

See what I mean?

Naru scoffed. "Yeah, not going to happen."

Kiba sneered and stepped into a fighting stance. "C'mon Akamaru, let's show this bitch her place."

Akamaru, a small, white ninken puppy with squinty eyes and brown, floppy ears, barked apologetically as he stood across from Stitch. Honestly, he wished his ningen would grow up sometimes and stop taking the pack analogies so far. He knew who the alphas in the class were, even if no one else recognized it, and he really didn't want to go up against them. Still, he couldn't just let his ningen go it alone. Pack loyalty and all that.

"Hajime!"

Kiba immediately lunged at Naru, fingers bent into claws. Slashing down at Naru, Kiba was caught off balance when she was somehow standing to his left, not even in a stance. He started to see red. She wasn't even taking him seriously. "Stop. Mocking. Me!"

Kiba's screams of anger were each punctuated by a striking claw. To everyone's amazement though, Naru just sidestepped, seeming to dance around the strikes as she twirled.

Meanwhile, Stitch and Akamaru sat and growled at each other. Eventually, Stitch carelessly bopped Akamaru on the nose. The poor dog was knocked silly, allowing Stitch to tie him up and surprising the few watching the two canines with Stitch's dexterity.

Sitting down next to the bound puppy, Stitch sat back and watched his partner fight Kiba. After a full five minutes of going all out with a near-berserker rage, it was obvious that the Inuzuka heir was flagging, as his already sloppy attacks grew sloppier and sloppier. Naru on the other hand continued to dance and twirl around Kiba, almost like a leaf caught in the wind. Finally, Kiba critically overstepped and overbalanced, allowing Naru the opportunity she had been waiting for.

Seeing her opponent fighting to stay upright, Naru pirouetted behind Kiba and poked him in the back of the head. It was all that was needed to send the dog-like boy falling flat on his face just outside the sparring ring.

"Winner, Naruko Uzumaki." Iruka nodded to Kiba and Naru. "Well done you two. Kiba, aside from needing to work on controlling your anger, good job. Naru, I am sure Mizuki was as impressed as I was."

Mizuki nodded. "Indeed, she did far better than I ever expected." 'Far, far better. Still, this shouldn't interfere with my plans too much. I hope.'

Soon, the taijutsu testing was done. Iruka took the opportunity to jot down a few last minute notes. "Alright class, follow me to the shooting range."

Soon, the class was gathered at the shooting range as Iruka faced them. "The weapons portion of the test is thus; you will take turns throwing first kunai, then shuriken at the targets." Mizuki gestured to several targets that were vaguely man-shaped as Iruka continued. "Once you have thrown both, you will then have the option to demonstrate the use of any other weapon you choose. Any questions?"

When nobody volunteered anything, Iruka began calling students up. While most of the students were capable, no one came anywhere near as close to perfect as Sasuke Uchiha did.

Naru did not know what to think about Sasuke. After the massacre of his entire clan, and by his older brother no less, Sasuke had become withdrawn and broody. While she felt pity for him, as she watched Sasuke get a perfect score without much effort, Naru felt a twinge of jealousy that he got what he wanted with little to no effort while she had to fight for what she wanted.

Soon, it was Naru's turn. Iruka watched as Naru threw her ten shuriken and ten kunai. Unfortunately, she only managed to hit the periphery of any of the targets. Naru frowned. Surely she wasn't that bad of a shot. She had been practicing, after all.

Unbeknownst to anybody, the chakra strings attached to Mizuki's fingertips dissipated unnoticed.

Iruka sighed. "Naru, do you have any other weapons you wish to demonstrate?" Honestly, he was disappointed in this year's students. Last year, several of the students had chosen to showcase several different weapons, including one girl (what was her name? Sixsix? Tenten?) who threw practically everything but the kitchen sink imaginable. Fortunately, Iruka was about to be pleasantly surprised.

"I do have one thing, sensei. Well…two…sort of."

Iruka smiled. Maybe this year wouldn't be so bad after all. Also, if Naru proved to be any better with these next weapons, she might be able to pass the weapon's portion of the exam. "Well then, let's see what you've got Naru. First weapon, please."

Naru took a wide stance, one foot slightly in front of the other with her weight distributed forward. She took a slow, deep breath before whipping her open coat further open. Pulling two egg-shaped objects with attached handles from a pair of shoulder holsters, Naru snapped them out in front of her and began to stroke the triggers.

_Pewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpewpew!_

As Naru flipped the slightly smoking objects back into their holsters, the class stared in silent awe at the carnage wrought. Each target had a smoking hole burnt perfectly through the middle of the head, including the three moving targets at the rear. Iruka turned to Naru.

"Naru, what were those!?"

Naru gave a petite smile. "Chakra blasters. Dr. Jookiba of R&D gave them to me to test for him." A total lie. She wasn't about to tell anyone that they had been a gift from Stitch. "He's still trying to reduce the drain. So far, only I can use them because of my stupidly high chakra reserves." Again, a lie, but not a total lie this time. Anyone could use them, but not to the extent that she could.

Each chakra blaster had an internal seals battery/charger that absorbed and stored chakra from its surroundings. Once the battery was full, the user had about 20 to 60 shots, depending on the density of the chakra absorbed. Once the battery was empty, the blaster took the energy directly from the user, approximately the same amount needed to fire off a grand fireball technique that the Uchiha clan had always been so proud about. Jumba and Stitch were currently trying to work on a more efficient and safer version after the incident where Jumba sent himself into an hour-long mini-coma after trying to fire a depleted blaster, sucking most of the bio-electric energy (something all living things have) he had out of him instead of his nonexistent chakra.

Iruka, however, knew none of this. "I see. Impressive. Well, I hope Dr. Jookiba can get the problem fixed. Now, you said you had another weapon to showcase?"

Naru nodded. "Stitch! Speedball Special!"

Stitch, standing next to Naru the entire time, immediately curled up into a ball. Jumping into a front handspring, Naru snatched up Stitch and threw him at the nearest target like a whirring buzzsaw. Indeed, once he came into contact with the target, it was reduced to a cloud of sawdust.

Iruka was the first person to pick his jaw off the floor. "Um, well done, Naru, I do believe that should be enough for you to pass the weapons portion of the exam."

Kiba and Akamaru shared a look. "Dang, buddy, we've really got to learn the gatsuuga now."

MIzuki meanwhile was fuming. 'Even after sabotaging her, she still pulls through. At this rate, she'll pass the ninjutsu portion of the test as well.'

Once the last student's last kunai hit a target, it was time for the ninjutsu portion of the exam. After a nerve-wracking wait, it was Naru's turn. She entered the exam room to face Iruka and Mizuki.

"Alright Naru, please perform the replacement, transformation, and clone techniques, please."

Naru complied, first replacing herself with a potted plant and then turning into a copy of Stitch, much to the blue dog's amusement. Finally, it was time to perform the clone technique. Having never done the technique successfully, Naru was understandably worried.

"Okay, here goes: clone technique!"

The room was filled with smoke. When it cleared, dozens of Naru's were crammed into the small room. Naru looked around. "Huh, Jumba was right, I was putting too much chakra into it."

Iruka smiled. "Congratulations, Naru, you pass!" As the words came out of his mouth, Iruka found himself in a crushing hug.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" Grabbing a forehead protector and an extra headband plate, Naru bounced out of the room with Stitch happily on her tail.

As Iruka tried to regain feeling in his arms and torso, Mizuki silently fumed. 'Dammit! Looks like I'll have to take care of this myself!'


	7. Chapter 7

Having properly celebrated their success with copious amounts of ramen, Naru and Stitch were walking home from Ichiraku Ramen. Their forehead protectors were displayed proudly, Naru's hanging loosely from her neck, and Stitch's plate attached to an orange bandanna tied around his neck.

Naru giggled as Stitch recreated the shocked looks that had been present upon the revealing of her chakra blasters. The secret practicing had really paid off. "I can't wait to find out who's going to be on our team, can you?"

Before he could answer, however, Stitch was forced to shove Naru out of the way of a green ball of energy. Unable to dodge, Stitch took the ball of plasma bigger than he was to the face. The ensuing blast knocked Stitch out and sent Naru flying to collide back first with one of the mighty trees that made up the forests surrounding Konoha, stunning her.

As the explosion died down, several smaller trees fell to reveal the leviathan figure of Captain Gantu. He casually stomped to the center of the clearing. "Aw, I'm sorry, did that hurt?" He picked up the unconscious Stitch and dropped him into a large, clear containment vessel. "Good. Serves you right after what you did to my finger and career." Ignoring the ningen girl on the ground, Gantu clamped the containment vessel to his back and strode off through the trees, his giant gait rapidly covering ground.

Naru regained consciousness to see a giant land-shark walking away from her. As her vision stopped swimming though, she saw her first friend ever unconscious at the bottom of the glass container on the land shark's back. She reached out weakly as she tried to stand. "Stitch!"

The land shark vanished into the trees, taking Stitch with it. Naru collapsed to her hands and knees as tears began to stream down her face. "No. No no no. No nono nononononono. NOOOOO**OOOOOOOOO! RAAAAAGH!"**

Naru reared back onto her knees as a transformation overtook her. Her clear blue eyes turned crimson and slit and her dainty whisker marks thickened into black bars. Her teeth sharpened into long fangs and her nails thickened into tough black claws. Slowly, a veil of red energy enveloped the girl, forming a glowing, long-eared fox with four tails. As the demonic red fox opened its white, glowing eyes, it stood on its hind legs. Stretching its glowing white maw open, it threw its head back and let loose with a bowel loosening howl.

For the first time in thirteen years, the Village Hidden in the Leaves once again knew true fear.

* * *

Iruka gasped for air as he fought his traitorous former ally. Not even an hour ago, it was discovered that his assistant Mizuki had mortally wounded a guard and stolen the forbidden scroll of seals from the Hokage tower. Iruka, being a powerful sensor, had been the first to find him. While he had managed to get the large scroll away from the traitor, Iruka was out of shape. Dodging a large demon windmill shuriken, Iruka silently cursed. 'Shit shit shit! I really let myself go! If I live through this, I'll go to Maito Gai and ask for help!'

With a curse, Iruka stepped in a gopher hole and went down hard. With his foot trapped and his ankle broken, the academy instructor was at the mercy of Mizuki. He closed his eyes and waited for the end as Mizuki pulled his last demon shuriken off his back.

"Say goodbye, Iruka! Now d—urmph!"

Iruka opened his eyes, blinking bemusedly when he saw a giant grey foot step away, leaving a flattened Mizuki twitching in its footprint. Before Iruka could breathe a sigh of relief though, a wave of death passed over him.

Iruka knew this feeling. "Kyuubi!" As he struggled to free himself, Iruka froze as a red blur with four tails passed him by, trampling a recovering Mizuki back into unconsciousness as it went. Finally freeing himself, Iruka crawled over to the convulsing and foaming at the mouth Mizuki. There, on his back, was a single burnt blonde hair. He whispered a name as ANBU finally arrived. "—Naru?"

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood watching his village, waiting on news of the search for the traitor who had taken the forbidden scroll. Just as the report that the traitor had been apprehended came in though, an invisible, yet tangible wall of death seemed to pass over him. Recognizing the evil feeling of that energy, Hiruzen braced his suddenly weak knees against the railing of the Hokage tower. "Naru."

Straightening up, the Third Hokage once again became the 'God of Shinobi,' summoning his ANBU and personal guards. "Listen up! All ANBU and available personnel are to converge on the Kyuubi's chakra! Subdue if necessary, but do NOT engage otherwise! GO!"

Not bothering to acknowledge the orders, the ANBU and shinobi present dashed out of the tower across the vast village.

* * *

Gantu strode confidently into the clearing he had parked his personal ship. Taking the containment vessel off his back, he clamped it onto the back of the ship. Sneering, Gantu tapped on the transparent steel. "Well, I do hope you enjoy the flight. Unfortunately, I'm afraid there will be no in-flight entertainment or snacks." Laughing cruelly, Gantu entered the cockpit.

Starting up the automated take-off sequence, Gantu contacted Galactic Control. "This is Captain Gantu, get me hyperspace clearance and a line to the Grand Councilwoman."

The comm. crackled as the ship lifted up off the ground. "Gantu, what is it?"

Smirking, Gantu reclined in his pilot's chair. "I thought you'd like to know that the little trog is—augh!"

Gantu was cut off as his ship suddenly lurched.

"Gantu? What's going on?"

Before Gantu could answer, a demonic creature with four tails latched onto the windshield. Shrieking in surprise, Gantu wrenched the controls over. "Monster!"

Panicked, Gantu tried everything he could to dislodge the terrifiying creature on his ship, but to no avail. No matter what he did, the monster stayed in place, clawing and scratching rabidly at the cockpit. Finally, the creature smashed through the stronger-than-steel windscreen and thrust a suddenly larger claw through the hole. Grabbing Gantu by the front of his shirt, the creature pulled the Shaelik through the shattered windshield with a roar, letting the Captain of the Galactic Armada fall.

Fortunately for the battered and terrified Captain, he hadn't been too far up, and ended up merely bouncing a few times. Groaning, Gantu let himself fall into blissful unconsciousness.

With the land shark out of the way, the fox jumped into the ship and began to tear it apart until it found the containment cell. Smashing into and through the containment vessel's walls, the fox monster grabbed the still unconscious Stitch. Curling itself up around the dog, the monster and Stitch fell to Earth.

* * *

Stitch slowly regained consciousness. As he looked around the crater he found himself in, Stitch froze when he saw his first and best friend in the world. Naru was in horrible condition. Covered in third-degree burns and shredded clothes, Naru lay broken on the crater floor. Stitch carefully picked up Naru and held her tight.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Stitch was snapped to alertness by the sound of a breaking branch. Pulling out Naru's still somehow functioning chakra blasters with his second pair of arms, Stitch growled at the white-armored aliens that had him surrounded.

"Put the weapons down and put your hands up!"

Snarling at the security officers around him, Stitch defiantly turned off the blasters' safties, their soft whine filling the tensely silent clearing. There was no way he'd ever leave his first and only friend, his family, especially not in the condition she was in. Turning his head, Stitch saw the Grand Councilwoman herself come down the ramp of her ship (when did that get there?) and stand behind the head security agent, dressed in her own elegant yet effective body armor.

The Grand Councilwoman regarded Stitch, either not noticing the horrendously injured girl in his arms or assuming the injuries to be his fault. "One way or another, 626, you will be coming with us."

"I'm afraid not."

The Grand Councilwoman and the security agents spun around to see an elderly ningen in black body armor and wielding a staff standing on the ramp to their ship. Suddenly, the security agents found themselves surrounded on all sides by angry looking and heavily armed ningen, several of whom had tied up and dragged a slowly recovering and recently field interrogated Captain Gantu along behind them.

"I'm afraid that your Captain Gantu has attacked a member of the Land of Fire military without provocation or warning in an attempt to kidnap a military asset. Unless you leave now and take him with you, I'm afraid the law is quite clear. He will be executed."

The Grand Councilwoman, recognizing a leader when she saw one, was nonetheless unbending. "And I am afraid that our laws are just as clear. 626 is a fugitive from justice and must be taken in for trial and sentencing."

"N-no."

All attention was suddenly on the broken girl in Stitch's arms as she struggled to speak. "Y-you're no-not tak-taking Stitch. Yo-you're not taki-ng my f-fam-family…from me…" Panicking, Stitch checked Naru's vitals as the girl passed out, sighing in relief as her vitals were still relatively strong.

The Grand Councilwoman sighed as she considered the girl's little speech. She began to speak carefully. "In light of recent events, I suppose that enacting 626—eherm, Stitch's original sentence of exile to be carried out here is not outside of the bounds of my powers. Therefore, I hereby declare Stitch to be exiled here on Earth for however long is considered necessary." She looked at the elderly leader on her ship's ramp. "Will that be acceptable, Mr….?"

"Hiruzen Sarutobi. And yes that will be acceptable."

"Excellent." The Grand Councilwoman looked over to Stitch and Naru. "I'd get that girl medical assistance if I were you."

Not bothering to reply, Hiruzen simply gestured at Naru and Stitch. Two animal-masked shinobi jumped down and disappeared with the two in swirls of leaves. Another gesture and the remaining shinobi all vanished, save for two of the Third Hokage's personal guard.

HIruzen watched with the Grand Councilwoman as the security agents vanished into the ship, dragging a still groggy Gantu along with them. As the last of the security agents vanished, the Grand Councilwoman sighed. "We will be keeping in touch." The Grand Councilwoman entered her ship, her mutterings to herself as she went clearly audible to the shinobi watching. "The paperwork for this…I am not looking forward to it. Sometimes I wish I could clone myself and let the clone do it…"

As the ship took off into the sky, the two ANBU guards watched in bemusement as their Hokage walked over to a random tree and began to bash his head repeatedly against the trunk. "Stupid, stupid, stupid…!"

* * *

Naru groaned as she opened her eyes. Seeing the white ceiling, she realized that she was in the hospital. Wincing, she turned her head to the side to see her surrogate grandfather. "Gramps! Where's Stitch! Is he—?"

Hiruzen held up a hand. "Easy, Stitch is fine. In fact, he's right here." Naru smiled tiredly as Stitch climbed up onto the hospital bed to snuggle with her.

A frown crossed Naru's face. "Gramps, when Stitch was hurt and taken by that land-shark I got so angry and everything turned red. The next thing I can remember, I hurt all over and I couldn't move and the grey lady wanted to take Stitch away. What happened?"

The elderly Sarutobi sighed. "I was going to tell you after your genin teamwork test, but I suppose now is as good as any. Naru, thirteen years ago, when the Kyuubi attacked, the Forth Hokage couldn't kill the Kyuubi like all the history books say. Instead, he was forced to seal it into a little girl. In order to protect that girl, I made a law that forbid anyone from talking about the Kyuubi's true fate. Unfortunately, people still found out about the girl."

Naru swallowed dryly. "That girl...it was me, wasn't it?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. When you saw Stitch get hurt, the emotional distress caused the seal to weaken severely enough to allow the Kyuubi to partially take over. However, such was your need to save Stitch that I suspect that it forced the Kyuubi to focus on Gantu. The Kyuubi was forced to relinquish its hold on you when that level of its chakra became too much for your body."

Naru shook. "So, will that happen whenever I get angry or upset?"

"No. The seal had degraded over time due to the village's treatment of you, which compounded when coupled with your extreme emotional angst when Stitch was hurt. Though I am no seals master, I do know enough that I was able to mostly fix the seal. Should something similar happen again, it should only be a trickle of chakra that gets through. Not enough for you to succumb to the Kyuubi's control."

Naru nodded as much as the heavy amount of bandages covering her allowed. "Thanks gramps…"

"Naru." Naru looked blearily at her grandfather-figure as she started to drift to sleep. "I have a present for you." He pulled out a small scroll. "This scroll has a chakra intensive technique that is perfect for you. Also, it was your mother's favorite. I think she'd like you to have it." His piece said, the Third Hokage left Naru to her rest.

As the black of sleep began to creep into her vision, Naru read the label on the scroll. "Shadow clone…technique…"

* * *

**AN: I am a little disappointed that no one has noticed my bilingual bonuses yet. Oh well.**

**LordGhostStriker: My own idea, actually. Though it's been done before, I figured that the powercells or whatnot the Galactic Fed plasma cannons use wouldn't be available or feasible with the ningen's level of tech, so I made a chakra version.**

**Suntan140: Yep. And I was thinking the dance of the Swirling Leaf.**

**Gamelover14592: wait and see…**

**This chapter is dedicated to the memory of Robin Williams. Though he is no longer with us, may he continue to bring us laughter for generations to come.**


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